Over the past few years, Montreal has seen the introduction of a number of great new restaurants centered on the idea of fish & chips. The meal is traditionally an English keepsake, which is perhaps why it’s taken so long to come about. Has poutine met its match with expertly prepared tartar sauce and fries? Probably not. Still, a perfectly battered cod is well worth getting hooked on. Cast off and try these “chippies” below:
Burgundy Lion
A pub that really, really prides itself on English heritage, Burgundy Lion is a no-brainer when it comes to British cuisine in Montreal. Its walls are covered in Brit pop paraphernalia, Brit rock blares in the background and the food is just as in sync. Not only a great place to grab a pint in Little Burgundy, this pub offers an enormously portioned beer-battered cod and golden fries ($16). 2496 Notre-Dame St. West, 514-934-0888
Brit & Chips
Located in already antiquated Old Montreal, Brit & Chips projects the same kind of superiority as the surrounding architecture, with none of the pretension. Fish baskets are served up in four types of batter: beer, maple, Guinness, and Orange Crush ($11). For desert, we can’t help but vouch for their deep-fried Mr Big ($3.50). 433 McGill St., 514-840-1001
Mommy’s Fish and Chips
Further out, in Lachine, Mommy’s Fish and Chips has been a favourite for generations. Pioneering great Scottish cuisine in Montreal, the restaurant plays into aficionados’ palettes by frying with beef fat instead of vegetable oil (perhaps a secret better kept from your cardiologist). The food here is sinful, tasty, and well worth the trip out of the city’s centre. 3135 Notre-Dame St., Lachine, 514-637-3941
Comptoir 21
Hidden amongst hip cafés and health-conscious grocers, this deep-fry depot subverts many Mile Ender ideologies. A chip shop that feels diner-inspired, Comptoir 21 invites patrons to sit around a table on bar stools, chowing exclusively on lightly battered haddock ($8 small/$11 large). They also carry 1L canteens of clam chowder to go, a perfect lunch to take to work ($11). 21 St Viateur St. West, 514-507-3474
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Image courtesy of HAMACHI!.
